teach bottle calf to drink water

[glover36]

the way we get a calf to drink out of the bucket is you dont give it any milk from a bottle, you just keep trying it with the bucket eventually they get thirsty and they have to drink otu of the bucket

 

[KMacGinley]

Someone needs to alert the Veal industry, as virtually all veal calves drink.... Milk replacer from a bucket, I know because I filled a few hundred of them from a hose at 3:30 AM and 3:30 pm every day while in college. We raised our calves on a bucket and they thrived, I have fed orpans on a bottle, letting the kids feed them for as Bez says, when they butt, the guy holding the bucket would be wearing the milk. So I gave the kids a bottle to use. I think that it really depends on how much time you want to spend with the calves.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Thank you msscamp. That link was better than the last one I read.

 

[msscamp]

No problem.

 

[cattleluvr18]

the way we used to do it....

first after there done with milk give them just let them suck a little bit from their tit bucket but not too much so they dont get a belly ache

then once they get used to that just leave a bucket in there and they'll surprise ya on how much they'll drink it

 

[Beefy]

wow, blast from the past. so Curt, did your calf ever figure out how to drink water?

 

[novatech]

After a few days start putting a little manna in the bottom of that bucket. let them lick it up. It starts teaching them to eat.

 

[SCRUBS620]

Someone needs to alert the Veal industry, as virtually all veal calves drink.... Milk replacer from a bucket,.

Well what are we going to do with veal calves that dont have well developed rumens?!!! :roll: Besides the veal industry would probably inject it right into their veins if they could - maybe the calf would not move around as much that way.

 

[Keren]

If you want to feed out of a bucket for convenience but want the same effects that suckling has (ie. opening of the oesophogeal groove), simply float a teat on top of the milk. If the calf is used to drinking from a bottle, then they take to it very quickly. It has worked very well for us.

Contrary to what has been said, a large majority of the progressive dairies over here are now using the 'calfeteria' style feeders, acknowledging the importance of suckling.

On a side note, the funniest thing I have ever seen is a jersey calf that I looked after at a sale. It must have been on a bottle or a teat feeder, because when we brought it a bucket it shoved its head in up to its eyeballs and was thrashing around looking for a teat. It could smell the milk but couldn't figure out how to drink it. This went on for several days until it realised. :lol: :lol:

 

[msscamp]

Be advised the calf does not need plain old water at this early age it only needs milk replacer.
Bez!

Got to disagree on this part. A calf on a bottle may not drink a lot of water - it depends on the calf - but they do need fresh water available.

 

[KMacGinley]

Someone needs to alert the Veal industry, as virtually all veal calves drink.... Milk replacer from a bucket,.

Well what are we going to do with veal calves that dont have well developed rumens?!!! :roll: Besides the veal industry would probably inject it right into their veins if they could - maybe the calf would not move around as much that way.

Normally I would defer to your vastly superior knowledge, but I have got to say that all the dairymen that I have known, raising replacement heifers also taught the calves to drink out of buckets after day one. Their rumens seemed to turn out just fine. :roll:
As far as the veal industry comment, that shows a lack of comprehension of animal husbandry. My employer grew the calves to 400 lbs. That is how he was paid, by selling lbs. of veal. Somehow, even though it is obviously impossible they seemed to get there.

 

[backhoeboogie]

As far as the veal industry comment, that shows a lack of comprehension of animal husbandry. My employer grew the calves to 400 lbs. That is how he was paid, by selling lbs. of veal. Somehow, even though it is obviously impossible they seemed to get there.

You had me googling with that statement. And I learned something. Prior to today, I thought a calf had to be less than a month old to be considered veal. Still, 400 lbs seems a little beyond veal.

Nevertheless, I will never use the bucket again. I made that mistake one time and the difference was very apparent to me. At the time I didn't know why. It was years later before it was explained. If I ever have to bottle feed one again, it will be with bottles dropped in a bottle rack. Too easy to do.

 

[KMacGinley]

Glad to be of service Backhoe. You were aware of baby veal which is the killing of newborns. Most veal is what I was talking about 400 lbs is not at all unusual. That is why it is so controversial, in order to get them that big with the white meat, some precautions are taken to keep them anemic. I would have nothing to do with veal these days, but back then it paid my tuition.

 

[SCRUBS620]

Someone needs to alert the Veal industry, as virtually all veal calves drink.... Milk replacer from a bucket,.

Well what are we going to do with veal calves that dont have well developed rumens?!!! :roll: Besides the veal industry would probably inject it right into their veins if they could - maybe the calf would not move around as much that way.

Normally I would defer to your vastly superior knowledge, but I have got to say that all the dairymen that I have known, raising replacement heifers also taught the calves to drink out of buckets after day one. Their rumens seemed to turn out just fine. :roll:
As far as the veal industry comment, that shows a lack of comprehension of animal husbandry. My employer grew the calves to 400 lbs. That is how he was paid, by selling lbs. of veal. Somehow, even though it is obviously impossible they seemed to get there.

Hey, I was just being sarcastic Your right I dont know much about the veal industry nor would I want to. I thought that all veal was baby calves also. I still think bottles are better and I believe there is research out there to prove that.